Va-Cay

"You didn't warn me this place was in Dante's 9th circle of hell!" he said as he dried his forehead.

Vanessa laughed and when Tanner did, too, it was as though a kind of switch had been thrown. She no longer saw him just as a tenant with whom she was having lunch. She saw him as...well, she wasn't exactly sure how she saw him. All she knew was that she really liked being with him and hoped there would be more such times spent together talking and laughing.

When they got back to her house, Vanessa thanked him for a letting her tag along.

"I haven't laughed that much in forever," she told him once they were inside.

"Same here. It felt really good."

"Yes. Yes, it did," she told him as they stood there looking at each other for several seconds.

Vanessa finally looked away and said, "I need to go see if I have any new requests for the other room."

"Oh, right. Sure. Of course," Tanner said.

Both of them felt the growing tension, but neither of them knew what to do about it so parting ways seemed like the best way to deal with it.

As she went to walk away, Tanner called her name.

She turned around and smiled and said, "Yes?"

"I was wondering if you might like to go with me again on Thursday when I see the lawyer again."

"I'd like that. Very much," she said immediately.

"Great. Well, I guess I'll go see if I can find a house-demolishing company," he told her as he nodded toward his room.

"I hear they're everywhere," she teased in the friendliest way possible.

"Good. I shouldn't have any trouble finding one then, huh?"

Vanessa smiled then turned around and headed toward the small home office where her desktop was and found herself smiling. As she sat down she knew exactly why and wondered if he could possibly feel the same way. And then she remembered she had a birthday coming up, one that would make any guy Tanner's age, and especially one who looked like him, run all the way back to Oklahoma. Still, it had been very pleasant spending time with him, and her mood brightened even more when she saw a request for a new tenant starting on Friday of that week.

Kayleigh's new, not-so-subtle attempt at matchmaking continued during dinner when she asked how their day went.

"It was fine," her mom replied.

Kayleigh looked at Tanner who was chewing food. He swallowed then also said, "Fine."

"You two aren't telling me something," she said, her eyes narrowing. "But the truth will out. You know that, right?"

"The truth is out, honey. We had a nice time. That's it," her mom insisted.

"Uh-huh. Okay. If that's how we're gonna play this...fine," the teenager said. "But I've got my eye on both of you."

She made a 'V' with her first two fingers then pointed them at her own eyes, the universal symbol for 'I'm watching you' and Tanner couldn't help laughing.

"Don't feed the beast, Tanner," Vanessa said. "Anything either of us says or does will be taken as some kind of...sign."

"Ah-ha! So there is something going on with you two. I knew it!" Kayleigh said as she smiled at her mother.

"She's lost her mind. I swear," Vanessa said to Tanner.

"No, I don't think so," her daughter said. "I may only be turning 14 this weekend, but I know stuff. Yeah. That's right. And I'm not blind here, people."

Vanessa's eyes opened wide before she shook her head and said, "Okay. I think I'm finished here."

She stood up, grabbed her plate, and when she did, Kayleigh leaned over toward Tanner and said, "Methinks the lady doth protest too much."

In the middle of another bite, Tanner nearly choked when he couldn't help laughing again.

"You, too?" Vanessa said. "Oh, my goodness! I'm surrounded with lunacy!"

But the way she smiled at Tanner wasn't lost on him or her daughter. When Kayleigh saw the way her mom looked at their guest, she smiled because she knew she was onto something. And she had no intention of slacking off or slowing down.

The next morning after breakfast, Tanner told Vanessa he'd found a company willing to demolish the house and dispose of anything to include mold at what seemed like a reasonable price.

"That's wonderful! One problem solved, right?" she told him.

"One down, several to go," he replied.

Again, they were looking at one another when Tanner said, "Were you serious about getting your adventurous side back?"

"Yes. Why?" Vanessa asked.

"How would you like to go rock climbing today?"

"Indoor or outdoor?" she asked.

"We can try indoor today and maybe get a little more...adventurous...and try outdoor some other time."

"Well, I suppose I could give that a whirl," she told him. "When did you want to go?"

Vanessa changed into an old rugby shirt but even in something that baggy, she still looked great, and Tanner told her so. She was pretty sure it was the way she'd done her hair and makeup, but it was nice to hear him say she looked pretty in something that clearly wasn't pretty.

She'd never been rock climbing and didn't even know there was a place to do so. They had to drive up to Tacoma to Edgeworks Climbing Gym, but it was well worth the drive.

Vanessa found herself shrieking with fear and delight as she learned to trust the person on belay below her after climbing halfway up then being asked to just let go with her hands and her feet. By the time they left two hours later, she'd mastered all but their toughest wall.

"Nice job," Tanner told her as her opened the car door for her. "I'm duly impressed."

"I told you I was adventurous," she reminded him.

Once again, they were looking at each other, only this time it was from just inches away.

"And...gorgeous," Tanner said quietly as their eyes locked.

Vanessa's heart had been pounding most of the time they were inside climbing, but now it was doing so for an entirely different reason. When he leaned closer and gently pressed his lips to hers, the pounding went off the charts.

It was a very short kiss, but it had truly been electric. When it ended, she looked down then got in the car without another word being said. Tanner got in and started it up, glanced her way and smiled, then drove off.

Very little was said until they got closer to Auburn when Tanner said, "Vanessa? I'd like to take you and Kayleigh to dinner tonight."

Her heart had slowed back down to near normal, but now it was suddenly speeding up again.

"But that's...that's so expensive," she said without thinking. All those months of barely surviving had caused to see things very differently.

Tanner smiled politely thens said, "Taking you to lunch yesterday didn't break the bank. And i think I've still got a few shekels left."

The word 'shekels' made her laugh, and as she did she said, "Okay. That would be really nice."

When her mother told Kayleigh they were going out for dinner, she said, "Going out going out or...McDonalds going out?"

"Going out as in...going out. As in we need to go buy you a dress going out. As in right now."

Kayleigh hadn't worn a dress since the memorial service, and those still her closet no longer came close to fitting. She insisted on something inexpensive, but with shoes, a cardigan sweater, and a purse, it still came to over $150.

"Mom. This is insane," Kayleigh said when her mom kept adding items. "We can't afford this."

"I think we'll be okay," she said with a smile, and Kayleigh decided to trust her.

They ended up at the Wild Fin Restaurant in Renton which was a kind of modern, glass-enclosed Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Kayleigh couldn't remember ever going anywhere so nice although her dad had taken them to several similar places when she was much younger. She also hadn't worn makeup with a dress...ever...and when her mom saw her she almost cried.

"I knew there was a beautiful girl inside that tomboy exterior somewhere in there."

Before she could come back with something to downplay the compliment, Tanner said, "Your mom's right. You look beautiful."

Vanessa couldn't ever remember her daughter blushing before, but she was red from her neck to her cheeks as she said, "Thank you," very quietly.

Tanner told her she was very welcome then said to Vanessa, "You looked amazing on Monday, and very cute yesterday, but...wow!"

Vanessa had also bought a fairly inexpensive dress, but it looked elegant and beautiful on her. She hadn't had to buy shoes or a purse so for $40 she felt like a million bucks.

During dinner, Vanessa noticed how carefully Tanner listened to Kayleigh and the way he talked to her. She couldn't help but think of Adam as this younger man made her daughter feel like the most important person on earth. Except when he was doing the same to her.

He was clearly very well-educated, but he wasn't 'slick and smooth'. He was a genuinely caring, concerned person who really listened, and who offered sound, intelligent advice when needed and simply listened when called for.

Of all the things he said, the way he handled Kayleigh's comments about the way her former best friend treated her at school impressed her the most. Vanessa felt herself on the verge of tearing up as he walked her daughter through that minefield and had her laughing before they were through.

"You're really cool...for a Fed," Kayleigh told him on the way home.

"And you're really cool...for a teenager," he told her back.

He saw the way Kayleigh smiled at him in the mirror, and Vanessa saw the way he smiled, and once again, she felt something almost like the 'electric shock' she felt when he'd kissed her.

When they were back inside, the two adults had a glass of wine while the three of them sat and continued talking.

"So who all is coming to your party on Saturday?" he mom asked. Kayleigh had hemmed and hawed and never really told her.

"No one," she said in a very upbeat way.

"Honey. This is a party. Your party. Why don't you at least invite Becca?"

"Because the people I really want to spend time with are right here," she said as she looked at her mom and then at Tanner.

Neither of the adults spoke, so Kayleigh continued talking.

"Like I said, I know I'm only gonna be 14, but I'm not blind."

"No one thinks you're blind, sweetheart," he mom said.

"No, because I'm not the one who is," she replied. "But unless you open your eyes, and see what's going on, I'll have to assume you are, Mom."

Kayleigh stood up, smiled at Tanner, then said to them both, "I think I'm gonna go to my room and listen to music for a while."

"Are you sure?" her mom asked. "You don't have to rush off."

"I'm sure," she said. "If I stay here, you won't be able to open your eyes, so if I leave, maybe you'll at least try."

And then with another smile she said, "Goodnight."

Once she was gone Vanessa said, "I really don't know what's gotten into her lately."

"How about I top of your glass and we'll talk about it?" Tanner said as he got up and reached for her glass.

When he came back, he sat right next to her without asking, and Vanessa said, "Oh. Hi there."

"Hi," he said quietly.

"So...did you have an idea about why my daughter is acting so strangely?"

"I think so," he said as she took a small sip.

As soon as she finished, he gently took the wine glass away from her then said, "I think it's pretty obvious."

"You do?" she asked, her heart beating fast again.

"I do," he said quietly. "She sees what we're seeing. The difference is she isn't pretending not to see it."

"She...is?" Vanessa asked, barely able to speak.

"Uh-huh."

"What...what is it she's seeing?" she asked, her voice a whisper.

"Us. You. And me."

"Oh. I see," she said as he leaned closer.

"Do you?" he asked as he gently brushed her thick, silky hair back.

"I...I think so," she told him just before he kissed her again.

When it ended, Vanessa opened her eyes slowly then kept opening them until they were as wide as she could get them just to make a point.

"Oh, okay. So this is what Kayleigh meant by 'opening my eyes'."

"No, I think she met this," Tanner said before kissing her again.

This kiss was long and slow and unlike anything either of them had experienced since that one special person they'd loved was still alive.

"Wow. I really like...seeing," Vanessa said when he finally pulled away.

"You're the first and only woman I've kissed since Hannah," he told her quietly, never taking his eyes off of hers.

"I'm already jealous of the ones who'll come after me," she said just as quietly.

He smiled at her, touched her face then asked, "What makes you think there'll be others?"

Her eyes darted back and forth with his as her heart pounded in her chest.

"I...I just assumed you'd...you know, that you'd date lots of other women."

She was only some six inches away from him as she spoke, and when he answered her, she wasn't sure what to think.

"I don't fall in love easily, Vanessa. I did so once, and thought it would be for life."

He paused then said, "My...life."

He put his hand on her cheek then said, "You may need to be more...adventurous...where falling in love is concerned, but I don't need any more time to know how I feel about you."

Vanessa could barely hear herself talk because of the blood pressure pounding in her ears as she asked, "How do you feel about me, Tanner?"

"Like I don't ever want to be without you," he told her, his eyes full of truth and sincerity. "But I know you need more time, so I'll..."

Vanessa pulled him to her and kissed him the way she once kissed her husband. Were Kayleigh not home, she knew there'd be no stopping this. But because she was, hungry tongues did battle as soft lips pressed together and arms held bodies close and tight.

Once passions cooled, Tanner sat next to her and just held her as Vanessa buried her head in the crook of his neck.

Neither of them knew how long they sat their in silence before Vanessa raised her head, looked at Tanner then said, "I don't need more time."

He smiled in a way he hadn't since Hannah was alive and asked, "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm sure," she told him.

She smiled back then said, "When I decided to try and start looking again, I told myself I'd found the perfect man once, and that this time, I wouldn't wait to find another one."

"I see. So you're willing to...settle...for someone like me?" he asked, clearly teasing.

"I wasn't finished, Mister Smarty Pants," she told him. "I was going to say I had no idea I wouldn't even have to go looking for him; that he'd just show up on my doorstep one day and sweep me off my feet."

"I never actually stood on your doorstep," he said very seriously. "I sort of came inside and..."

Vanessa laughed then said, "Be quiet and kiss me, okay?"

They were several seconds into it when a voice startled them.

"Now that's what I'm talkin' about!" Kayleigh said as she walked by.

Vanessa pulled away, smoothed her dress, then said, "Kayleigh. Hi, honey. I...I didn't hear you come in."

"Good thing, huh?" she said with a smile.

As she walked away she made both of them laugh when she said loudly with a raised hand, "Carry on, people!"

Tanner went to kiss her again but Vanessa stopped him.

"Tanner? What are you doing?" she said as though he hadn't just seen Kayleigh.

"I'm following orders," he told her.

"What?"

"Kayleigh told us to 'carry on' so...I'm carrying on...with what we were doing."

"Oh. Yes. Well, children should be heard, right? I mean, they do sometimes have good ideas."

"Yes, they do," Tanner told her.

"Okay, then maybe we should...carry on," she said with a smile just before he kissed her again.

At breakfast the next morning, Vanessa said to her daughter, "Do you want to talk about last night, honey?"

"No. Why would I want to talk about it?" she asked with a smile.

"I don't know. I just thought maybe you'd have some questions," he mom said as Tanner listened.

"Once again, I'm turning 14 not four," Kayleigh announced. "People who like each other do stuff like that."

"Okay. If everything is fine then we won't talk about it," Vanessa said feeling satisfied.

"Mom?" Kayleigh said.

"Yes?"

"I'm glad you opened your eyes."

She saw Tanner smiling and she smiled, too.

"Yeah. Me too, honey," she told her daughter while looking at her...boyfriend?

"So what are you two kids doing today?" Kayleigh asked as she finished her orange juice.

"I think we're heading back to Enumclaw to get the power of attorney and other paperwork," Tanner said as he looked to Vanessa for approval.

"Right. Mr. Bennett said they'd be ready today with any luck."

"I'll give him a call first to make sure," Tanner told her.

Kayleigh said, "Very nice. I approve."

Before her mom could react she said, "Now that I got my birthday wish...is it still okay if I invite Becca...and maybe a couple of other friends?"

Vanessa couldn't have been happier to hear her daughter ask.

"Of course! Invite as many friends as you like, honey."

"Um, well...those are all of the friends I like or have, Mom," she said in her dry, deadpan way.

Kayleigh got up to go brush her teeth then said, "Mom? Please tell me we're not having cake and ice cream."

Vanessa's eyes opened wide in surprise.

"I...we...um..." she stuttered not knowing what to say.

Kayleigh laughed, pointed at her with both hands doing a kind of 'air guns' thing and said, "Got ya!"

Vanessa growled pretending to be mad but she was on the verge of crying yet again from being so happy. Tanner didn't say a word, because between what had been said the night before and what Kayleigh'd just said, nothing more needed to be said.

Mr. Bennett's secretary told him she had everything on her desk to include a checklist that covered most of things executors needed to do. All he needed to do was to stop in, pick them up, and get started.

With the death certificate and a judge's certification making Tanner the executor, one door after the other opened for him everywhere they went.

The bank provided him access to the safe deposit box where his father's will was kept along with a surprisingly large amount of $50 U.S. Savings Bonds from nearly 40 years ago. Also included was the deed to the house and land which he'd purchased for the princely sum of $35,000 back in 1970 meaning the land was now his free and clear.

The biggest surprise came when they went back up front to check on the status of any accounts.

A girl Tanner had gone to high school with worked there and accessed the accounts for him. She'd started to flirt with him when he proudly introduced Vanessa as his girlfriend. She not only didn't balk, she loved the way the younger girl looked at her when she slid her arm through his.

After rolling her eyes, she said, "How would you like this, Tanner? Is a certified check okay or would you prefer I wire directly to another account?"

Vanessa saw the way he reacted and asked, "Is everything okay?"

"This is...insane," he said.

"Did he have something like ten dollars in the account?" she asked, expecting the amount to be ridiculously low.

He handed her the slip of paper and when she saw the number, she said, "Oh, my God."

It read: $257,465.06.

"Oh, my God," she said again as she handed it back to him.

"Do you know anything about this?" he asked the girl.

"No, but the branch manager probably does," she said. "Hold on. I'll go get her."

A woman about Vanessa's age, but nowhere near as attractive introduced herself, and asked them to sit down. She told them how his father had come in right after his wife passed away wanting to deposit some insurance money.

"He had this...dazed...look on his face. He seemed almost catatonic. I was a teller back then and I took care of the transaction. He handed me a check for a quarter of a million dollars, and asked me to put it his savings account. He's never once touched it since," she explained. "It's just been sitting there adding whatever tiny percentage of interest it was making. But over that many years, a quarter or half percent really adds up. And there were a few years where we were paying up to 4.5% so...this is the result."